Memories

Our Thanksgiving was wonderfully simple and filled with feasts.  We gathered at Wanda's with only Megan and Jeff as the only "youngsters" in the bunch.  We feasted and played from Thanksgiving day clear on through Saturday when we ended the holiday with a crafting day.  It was great to be able to spend so much time with my sisters and mom.

I do love the holidays and all the hurry and scurry.  It is nice to have a "end goal" in mind (Christmas) and something to work toward.  It took me two weeks to get our house decorated and in order this year.  It never took me two weeks to decorate before--even with a house full of kids and a dog!  But it is done now it feels quite cozy and warm with a fire burning in the fire place.  The foot of snow on the roof completes the scene for our Christmas wonderland.

There is only one thing missing...our children with their excited faces and joy of being kids.  Our family memories are all good at Christmas time; a time filled with good smells, laughter and fun, and lots of home made goodies.  My favorite memories always include our Christmas Eve feast.  After each of the children chose who to give a goodie plate to and we had delivered them amidst lots of excitement at not being caught, we would return home to a spread of finger foods and goodies.  Then all four of the kids would gather to one bedroom to "sleep" until the wee hours of the morning.  They would then take their flash lights that they had secreted away and go peek at the gifts that Santa had left for them.  I love thinking back on those nights and hearing them trying to keep their excitement quiet while we lay in bed listening...with great big smiles across our faces.

Oh, how I cherish those days and those memories.  I would not trade one single minute of the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom with our children.  I am so grateful to my husband that didn't expect me to work even though many years it was very tough to make ends meet.  So many great things--people filled memories--to look back on and remember...and smile.